A myriad of games of chance have developed to fulfill the desires of players for excitement, risk, and the perception of the possibility of actually winning the game. To fulfill these desires, game inventors have varied the type of chance means, methods of placing the wagers, the amounts of the wagers, the methods of computing the pay-off, the number of players, the participation of the players in the play of the game, and the participation of the players with one another.
Wagering games utilizing a deck of cards abound. Many players avoid these games because of their slow pace. Others are dissuaded from choosing this form of gaming because they find the learning of the game rules too time consuming, the game rules actually vary from one casino to another or the player finds himself playing against other players rather than against the house.
Roulette is a popular game of chance. Players are drawn to it by the attractive yet complex table layout and wheel. They can find their comfort zone for complexity and risk in one of the numerous wagering combinations, such as placing bets on the individual numbers, the color of the field of the winning number or whether the winning number is an odd or even integer. However, roulette fails to appeal to many players because of the dearth of player participation and because the wagers are won or lost wholly on a single spin of the wheel.
Slot machines are another popular form of gaming device. The spinning reels and simplicity of play attract players because the individual players comfort risk level can be totally adjusted by him in the selection of the particular machine he uses and by the amount of time he chooses to participate. To add excitement to this form of gaming. Inventors have developed various methods of forming networks of slot machines whereby the payoff on a winning combination is determined by the total play on all machines in the network. However, again this form of gaming becomes monotonous because of the little variety of play and the lack of player interaction.
Dice games, old and new, are abundant. The rolling dice are a source of fascination and provide suspense. When the player participates in rolling the dice he both feels that he has an element of control over the outcome of the throw and that he can succeed at profiting the game. He is definitely participating. When one player is the one rolling the dice, the other players can relate to him. It is an "us against the house" response.
Craps is an exciting dice game well known by name by many persons. The Encarta Encyclopedia calls craps "(t)he most popular dice game in the U.S." It is a form of the old English game of hazard. Its rules of play, however, are not so well known nor can they be. The rules of play are complex generally and vary widely among the sites which offer the game and among locales.
The basic elements of play common to most crap games follows: It is played with two dice, traditional cubes with a different number of spots on each side to represent the integers from one to six, inclusive. One player is the thrower of the dice. He makes a monetary bet, covered by one or more opponents. The sum of the dice are from two to twelve, inclusive. The player wins if the first throw totals 7 or 11, but he loses if 2, 3, or 12 is the total. In any of these five cases the wagering and throwing are repeated. If the throw totals 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10, that number becomes the player's point, and the player continues his turn to throw until he throws his point again or until he throws a 7. If the point is made, the player wins, and continues his turn. However, if a 7 is thrown, the player forfeits both his wager and his right to throw again.
These basic elements of the play of craps have many variations. The probability that a given outcome of the throw of dice will be a winning combination varies as a function of the player's point which again varies during the play. The actual rules of play are not widely known not only because of the may variations but also because of the vast memorization of the outcomes and their relationships. Many novice player are reluctant to attempt the game as a result of the confusion of various rules and onerous effort required to understand the risks.
Because craps is popular with players, casinos must keep it on the floor but the table produces two costs for the casinos. The playing table alone consumes an average of 12 lineal feet of floor space. Then floor space must be allowed for the player to stand around the table. One craps table accommodates about twelve players but it requires two betting fields and usually four dealers and a pit boss. The resulting cost to the casino is quite high in relationship to the draw twelve players produce.
There exists a need for a game which more closely meets the player's needs for excitement, risk, risk management, quickly and easily understood play, and possibility of success. At the same time the game must meet the casinos need for profitability from the use of the game instead of a game already in use on its floor. The present invention fulfills these needs. It is a fast pace game of simple consistent rules, player participation, choices of risk offered by a variety methods of placing the wagers, and corresponding to varying pay-out on an attractive and novel layout. The house edge is fairly derived and the player will detect this fairness through the pay-out odds. The table and layout should require only one dealer, consume only nine lineal feet of floor space, and accommodate up to seven players. These features will increase the number of players to the game, both experienced and inexperienced players and decrease the costs to the casino, generating satisfaction in the players and profitability to the casino.